Rudd helps the Middle East story remain one sided
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Last weekend the Australian’s foreign editor Greg Sheridan interviewed former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and provided a platform for him to defend the 2006 Lebanon war, 2008/09 Gaza war and reveal the “most extensive concessions any Israeli leader has ever brought to the table in the search for a settlement”. The Arab victims of these offensives were ignored. There was no mention of the fact that Olmert was unlikely to visit certain European countries due to the risk of him being arrested for alleged war crimes or the fact that the Australian Parliament welcomed the man a few weeks before American students had challenged Olmert’s speeches on multiple university campuses. Dozens were arrested for protesting Olmert’s presence as they attempted to make a citizen’s arrest against a figure facing serious corruption charges back in Israel. For the Australian political elite, Israel is the sacred cow. There is no other country in the world, except the United States, that receives such uncritical and uninformed adulation. Virtually no politician wants to even acknowledge the reality of the brutal, military occupation on Palestinian lands. Or the fact that this week it was revealed in Haaretz that, “last year set an all-time record for the number of Arab residents of East Jerusalem who were stripped of residency rights by the Interior Ministry”. Ethnic cleansing by stealth. Yesterday in Sydney the Australia Israel Leadership Forum held an invitation-only lunch at the exclusive Westin Hotel for the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Israeli Vice-Premier Silvan Shalom, recently appointed Opposition leader Tony Abbott and various Israeli politicians. The Australian Jewish News reports that Shalom, “is in Australia this week for a series of meetings with government officials aimed at building relations between the two countries”. The lack of transparency about the meetings — which politicians and journalists are attending, how many free trips to Israel they receive and what is expected in return for such hospitable Zionist service — is revealing and shameful. Most corporate journalists are happy to play the game. Crikey recently reported on the latest mainstream journalist to visit Israel. Abbott led the cheer squad: “I’d like to think that nowhere in the world (does Israel) have more stauncher friends than us.” The 500-strong crowd lapped it up, equally happy to hear Shalom call for global action against Iran and Rudd talk about his government’s unshakeable commitment to “democratic” Israel. SBS TV World News Australia last night reported on the lunch and noted the Prime Minister’s failure to acknowledge the Palestinians altogether. But the reporter framed the event around the hundreds of protesters outside who demanded the Israelis being feted inside face trials for alleged war crimes. The Jerusalem Post wrote that “hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters” welcomed Shalom to Australia (in Sydney, not Canberra as the article alleged): “According to Army Radio, the protesters chanted slogans such as ‘Israel is a war criminal’ and ‘Silvan Shalom should not be allowed into Australia’.” Crikey spoke to one of the key speakers at the rally, Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine’s Jennifer Killen, who said, “…as an Australian, I am deeply ashamed that our government is welcoming Shalom”. She went on to argue that Australia’s refusal to back the UN Goldstone report on Gaza was symptomatic of the hold Israeli state violence has on Australia. A notable source of dissent was the powerful statement released on December 2 by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union that demanded Australia refuse to welcome Israeli leaders with blood on their hands: “Shalom and Likud’s opposition to the (Goldstone) Report is no surprise given their strong support for the Israeli attack on Gaza in January this year and the ongoing blockade of Gaza by the Israeli Government. This blockade is preventing 100,000 Palestinians with homes destroyed by Israel from rebuilding, through stopping the importation of the necessary building materials from Israel. “In his other role as Minister for Regional Development, Shalom has overseen the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land (watch his press conference urging Israeli’s to continue this process at: Shalom even opposes the limited freeze on new West Bank settlements recently announced by his Government.” Another Israeli visitor to Australia is Avi Dichter, accused by the distinguished US-based Centre for Constitutional Rights of “extrajudicial killing and war crimes” after the murder of Palestinians in Gaza in 2002. In June Australia’s deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard was heavily lobbied not to visit Israel with the Australia Israel Leadership Forum. It was only six months after the Gaza war and a widely circulated petition (that I signed) read in part: “We consider this trip a dreadful affront to the many Palestinians left maimed, wounded, traumatised and homeless by Israel’s devastating assault on the Gaza Strip in late 08/early 09.” In a democracy we should demand to know the real purpose of the Australia Israel Leadership Forum, led by influential Zionist and Rudd confidante Albert Dadon. Crikey wanted to attend the gala lunch yesterday. After being rejected, then accepted, then rejected again (only “accredited” journalists were allowed, I was finally told), it seems such forums are content to ignore stark facts such as Israel’s recent reduction of essential cooking gas being allowed into the Gaza Strip. Shalom told the Australian’s Greg Sheridan today that, “I really believe there is a friendship between the peoples of Israel and Australia, based on common values of democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law (and) Western culture”. But increasingly, it seems that the Australian public doesn’t buy the spin. Antony Loewenstein is a Sydney-based journalist and author of My Israel Question and The Blogging Revolution. |
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15 Comments
The daily humiliations and abuse of Palestinians by “settlers” continues…Last night BBC World showed a Palestinian olive grove chainsawed by “settlers”.
To have the ALP - and Abbott- sucking up to this criminal regime is sickening.
It is simply disgusting and incomprehensible that Australian political leaders on both sides are so utterly devoid of concern for the human rights of Palestinians. The hypocrisy is just breathtaking; and this from supposedly religious people committed to Jesus Christ’s teachings!
Thanks again to Antony Lowenstein for exposing the seedy sickening obsequiousness of Australian politicians towards Israel. No other country in the world, apart from the US, offers Israeli political leaders such comfort and praise. The media (Crikey excepted of course) either ignores or seems too timid to tackle what is a great story behind the influence the pro-Israel lobby wields in this country. The vital question is: In what way does this obsessive pro-Israel policy benefit Australia’s international relations?
I imagine that Kevin Rudd will next be committing our young to fight in Iran no questions asked. After all Israel and the U.S. dictate our foreign policy don’t they?
We have politicians of a sickly yellowish hue in Canberra who collectively have never had an original thought or observation outside of the party machine.
“The government had a zero tolerance approach when it came to violence against women,” Kevin Rudd said. Yet he condoned violence against Palestinian women in Gaza and even protected the perpetrators from scrutiny by directing Australia to vote against the Goldstone Report at the UN. An action for which he was thanked by Israel. I am not ashamed to be Australian but I am ashamed to have such a person as our prime minister.
An important story.
Is quite obvious that both sides of Australian politics live in fear of the Zionist lobby. The Zionist terrorism that led to the creation of Israel has been conveniently forgotten. Palestinians are the “Untermenschen” (German for under man, sub-man, sub-human- a term from Nazi racial ideology used to describe “inferior people”) of the Middle East. Palestinian casualties are treated with the same disdain that the Nazis displayed during their rampage through Europe between 1939 1945.
The Zionists have learnt well from their former masters. Denial of civil rights, confiscation of property, and reprisal killings are order of the day. All this is of course justified because the perpetrators are God’s chosen people, living in a land given to their antecedents, as represented Abraham, by God. One Zionist life is worth 100 Palestinians, and murdering civilians as a form of reprisal has become an art form.
As a curious reversal of history, Palestinians have adopted the tactics of the Jewish underground in Warsaw, fighting a militarily superior force from under cover. And as with the Nazis, reprisal killings are the order of the day, as is the deliberate confiscation of property and forced relocation. The only thing missing is the death camps.
One criticism one cannot levy at the Zionists is anti-Semitism, a criticism that is conveniently chosen by Zionists against any criticism of their activities. Both the Palestinians and the Zionists our both Semites, separated of course by fundamentalist religion on both sides.
Why am I being permanently moderated off any comments about Israel?
I made a comment on this story yesterday that contained no adhominem attacks, It was reasonable comment.
Explain why please
I am surprised and dismayed that you gave so much space to the anti State of Israel
journalist Antony Lowenstein and his supporters without a response from someone with an opposing view - say Sam Lipski.
Peter Isaacson
Peter Isaacson: I’m all for it: let’s hear what Sam Lipski says to justify both of Australia’s key Federal politcial parties celebrating a visit by accused Israeli war criminals.
Also, you should do some research before making silly claims about AL’s alleged anti -Israel stance. FYI, like the rest of us, we’re not against Israel per se, rather the far right wing fascists who have taken over its political system & its armed forces. Apartheid, killing the women & children of Gaza & the West Bank & treating the Palestinians like they’re farm animals just doesn’t wash with the growing chorus of people like us around the globe
C’mon Crikey…let’s hear Sam Lipski, who clearly knows something that the rest of the rapidly growing number of decent Australians appalled at Rudd / Abott’s grovelling, don’t.
Having read the weekend broadloids, it appears that the integrity of Australian metro daily journalism is dead & buried.
This visit by the accused Israeli war criminals signals the end of any credibility whatsoever for virtually all of Australia’s quality media, save for Crikey.
I can’t think of a single case in Australian history that even approaches this level of bi-partisan political support for such an international pariah.
With this Rudd Government, we’ve now realised that the end of party political values as we knew them for the past 50 years has arrived….just as Howard trashed the heart of the Liberal Party ideology on the altar of political expediency.
What a national disgrace.
Note to Crikey editor: Please oh please, don’t have George Brandis Or Michael Danby do the response.
It’ll just be theie same old accusations of anti-semitism, anti-Israel, “you’re all racists” etc etc diatribe that’s the cornerstone of their attempts to justify Zionist atrocities in the Occupied territories.
Peter Isaacson:
Paste this You Tube URL into you computer & send it onto Sam for his comment.
It shows an Israeli settler running his car back & forward over a Palestinian, who had already be shot & beaten by other settllers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx64n24GmOU
I suppose it’s just some proud Zionists supporting the cause…over to you.
Kevin Herbert,
Re your video.
There are Israeli soldiers with guns standing arounbd watching what was happening. There was plenty of time for them to shoot the driver of the car running obver the Palestinian. Why didn’t they?
Absolutely disgusting!
Bruce
As a test of hypothesis read my coments above. The most pertinent comment is reproduced below.
“Denial of civil rights, confiscation of property, and reprisal killings are order of the day. All this is of course justified because the perpetrators are God’s chosen people, living in a land given to their antecedents, as represented Abraham, by God. One Zionist life is worth 100 Palestinians, and murdering civilians as a form of reprisal has become an art form.”
I wrote this before I watched a video of the Israeli settler running his car backwards and forwards over what I presume was a Palestinian.
I would challenge any supporter of the Zionists in Israel and the occupied territories to justify this appalling behaviour, and the lack of action by the armed forces of the so-called democratic state of Israel. What would have been the reaction of the IDF if it was a Palestinian running over a settler? I know the answer- he would have been shot dead immediately.
It is reflection of the racist attitude of the majority of both the Australian and Israeli communities that this appalling treatment of civilians is not only tolerated but completely ignored.
The attitude of the so-called “settlers” towards Palestinians is very reminiscent of the attitude of the Nazis to the people’s that they considered inferior. This included communists, gypsies, Slavs Russians and Jews. It is quite obvious that racist discrimination, once presumed to be the preserve of the Nazis has spread to their the descendants of their victims, like some victims of childhood sexual abuse who apply that form of abuse to others.
My comments in no way reflect any support for the appalling attitude of Hamas or Iran towards Israel, but but with such continuing abuse of Palestinians it is difficult to support Israel under the circumstances of the continuing abuse of Palestinians at the personal level by settlers who are manifesting the appalling abuses of civil rights practiced by the SA and the SS in Germany.
For anybody not familiar with this situation, “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” by William Shirer provides a good introduction.